1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plasma etch methods for plasma etch processing microelectronic layers employed when fabricating microelectronic fabrications. More particularly, the present invention relates to plasma etch methods for optimally plasma etch processing microelectronic layers employed when fabricating microelectronic fabrications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Microelectronic fabrications are formed from microelectronic substrates over which are formed patterned microelectronic conductor layers which are separated by microelectronic dielectric layers.
In order to form patterned microelectronic conductor layers employed for fabricating microelectronic fabrications, as well as other patterned microelectronic layers employed for fabricating microelectronic fabrications, there is often employed plasma etch methods, such as but not limited to reactive ion etch (RIE) plasma etch methods, which are employed in conjunction with patterned mask layers for forming from blanket microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications patterned microelectronic layers within microelectronic fabrications.
While plasma etch methods are thus quite common in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming from blanket microelectronic layers for use when fabricating microelectronic fabrications patterned microelectronic layers for use when fabricating microelectronic fabrications, plasma etch methods are nonetheless not entirely without problems in the art of microelectronic fabrication for forming, more generally, from microelectronic layers for use when fabricating microelectronic fabrications plasma etch processed microelectronic layers for use when fabricating microelectronic fabrications. In that regard, it is often difficult within the art of microelectronic fabrication to optimally plasma etch process a microelectronic layer when forming therefrom a plasma etch processed microelectronic layer while simultaneously providing for accurate endpoint detection when plasma etch processing the microelectronic layer when forming therefrom the plasma etch processed microelectronic layer.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide plasma etch methods through which microelectronic layers may be optimally plasma etch processed to form therefrom plasma etch processed microelectronic layers while simultaneously providing accurate endpoint detection when plasma etch processing the microelectronic layers to form therefrom the plasma etch processed microelectronic layers.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various plasma etch methods, plasma etch apparatus and plasma etch systems have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication for monitoring and controlling plasma etch processes for use when plasma etch processing microelectronic layers to form plasma etch processed microelectronic layers for use when fabricating microelectronic fabrications.
Including among the plasma etch methods, plasma etch apparatus and plasma etch systems, but not limited among the plasma etch methods, plasma etch apparatus and plasma etch systems, are plasma etch methods, plasma etch apparatus and plasma etch systems disclosed within: (1) Auda et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,914 (a plasma etch method and a plasma etch apparatus which employ a plasma emission spectrometer as an interferometer for purposes of providing an accurate thickness measurement and a correlating accurate linewidth measurement when plasma etch processing a patterned microelectronic layer within a microelectronic fabrication to form an isotropically plasma etch processed microelectronic layer within the microelectronic fabrication); (2) Schoenborn, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,356 (a related plasma etch method which also employs a plasma emission spectrometer as an interferometer for purposes of accurately determining a microelectronic layer thickness when plasma etch processing the microelectronic layer while employing the plasma etch method); and (3) Jeong et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,351 (a plasma etch method and a plasma etch apparatus which alternatively provides for both a plasma emission spectrometer analysis and substrate surface spectrometer analysis when plasma etch processing a microelectronic fabrication to form a plasma etch processed microelectronic fabrication).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional plasma etch methods through which microelectronic layers may be optimally plasma etch processed to form therefrom plasma etch processed microelectronic layers while simultaneously providing accurate endpoint detection when plasma etch processing the microelectronic layers to form therefrom the plasma etch processed microelectronic layers.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.